Archive of Horsforth Beer Festival 2013
The fifth Horsforth Beer and Cider Festival in 2013 was our most successful festival to date.
The festival is organised by St Margaret’s Church and is staffed entirely by volunteers. It was started in 2009 to raise funds towards the building of the Parish Centre, which is now in use by the church and many community organisations.
At first we were helped on the technical side by Old Bear Brewery, Keighley, and by Otley Parish Church, who run their own beer festival each November. Over the years we have taken on more responsibility, and in 2013 the fifth festival was run completely by the beer festival committee, supported by an army of volunteers. Around 80 volunteers, mostly from St Margaret’s, contributed to the event.
The 2013 festival raised around £12,000 for church funds which helped St Margaret’s complete a £100,000 programme of work to replace the church’s heating system and carry out essential repairs to the church roof and tower. It costs over £2,000 a week just to keep the church doors open, with any unexpected bills for major repairs on top of that.
Nine months planning culminated in a beer festival lasting two days, which attracted people from Horsforth, West Yorkshire and further afield. We are told that our festival has a warm, friendly atmosphere, and we know that many people travel some distance each year to attend.
Almost 1600 people paid to come in over the two days and as usual the “house full” signs went up early on Friday evening, as St Margaret’s Hall reached capacity. Our Twitter followers were able to keep up to date with what was happening inside and in the queue via our feed @hors4thbeerfest.
We continued to admit people well into Saturday evening as there was still a good selection of beer to choose from. The festival featured 67 different cask beers, many of them seasonal, from a mix of local breweries and breweries from across the UK. We sold over 9,000 glasses of beer (4,500 pints). Only 35 gallons remained overall from 67 firkins, so there wasn’t much to pour away on Sunday morning, when we cleared up the hall!
We featured 20 different ciders, including several ciders new to the festival and the return of some old favourites. Fruit ciders proved particularly popular again. We doubled the amount of cider ordered, as the year before the cider had almost sold out on the first day and more barrels had to be delivered on the Saturday morning. In 2013 we sold over 2,100 glasses of cider (1,050 pints).
North Riding Brew Pub triumphed for the second year running, winning the Beer of the Festival award, this time with its Peasholm Pale. www.northridingbrewpub.com
Saltaire Brewery was the runner up with its Raspberry Wheat Beer www.saltairebrewery.co.uk
followed by The Celt Experience with Iron Age. http://celtexperience.com/
Thanks to all those who helped in any way to make the festival happen.
Festival sponsor: | Kirkstall Brewery |
Glass sponsors: | Cookridge Carpets and Watts Planning |
Staff T-shirt sponsor: | Pooky & Grumps |
Programme sponsor: | Truly Scrummy |
Thanks also to: | all who sponsored barrels and to our entertainers, front of house, catering and bar staff |
The Festival Team: | |
Beer: | Duncan Childs, Alastair Dawson, Zak Glover, John Hutton, Penny Hutton |
Entertainment: | Scott Farquharson of SFX Studios (www.sfxstudios.co.uk) |
Marketing/sponsorship: | Dennis Herbert |
Finance: | Lesley Crann |
Front of house: | Lucy Childs and Emma Speight |
Publicity: | Tracey Wright |
Displays: | Brian Husband |
Telesales: | Dave Childs |
Programme editor: | Derek Glover |
Design and print: | "Covered" |
Website editor: | Maggie Ware |
Administration: | Rosemary Gaunt |
Catering: | Diane Childs |
Final list of Beers:
Brewery |
Beer Name |
ABV |
Location |
Tasting Notes |
1648 | Ruby Mild | 3.6 | Sussex | It is exactly what it is. Ruby & Mild! |
Barngates | Tenacious Ted | 3.8 | Cumbria | Amber-coloured ale, vibrant hop character on the nose & palate. Bittersweet & moreish. |
Beartown | Ginger Bear | 4.0 | Cheshire | Malt & hops flavour, blend with the added bite from root ginger to produce a superbly quenching finish. |
Black Dog | Whitby Abbey Ale | 3.8 | Yorkshire | A light coloured hoppy bitter. Brewed with North American hops to give a distinctive flavour. |
Blindmans | Maverick | 4.7 | Somerset | Well rounded, balanced ale, with the finest maris, with 3 varieties of hops. With a smooth, malty taste, leading to a light citrus finish with a mild hint of toffee throughout. |
Brentwood | Boston Brown | 4.4 | Essex | A true American Brown Ale with a tantalising brown malt characteristic packed with American hops. |
Burley Street | Spa Francochamps | 3.8 | Yorkshire | Made with high quantities of Styrian Goldings & American Cascade hops. This pale crisp session beer has a refreshing lemon citrus aroma & flavour. |
Burton Bridge | Damson Porter | 4.5 | Derbyshire | Fruity beer with a distinctive bitter-sweet after palate. |
Bushys | Old Bushy Tale | 4.5 | Isle of Man | Reddish brown beer with a hop & malt aroma, the malt tending towards treacle. Slightly sweet & malty on the palate, with distinct orangy tones and a hoppy a hint of toffee. |
Celt Experience | Iron Age | 3.5 | Wales | Ruby fruity beer full of robust & unique fruity hop character. With a smooth malty caramel body & a complexion of rich fruity aromas with hints of berryfruit. |
Coastal | Handliner | 4.0 | Cornwall | A traditional bitter brewed in the English style. Good hop aromas with a good balance of malt flavour. |
Collingham | Artisan's Choice | 4.4 | Yorkshire | Smooth drinking golden ale with a pronounced fruity, citrus hop character. |
Concrete Cow | Bit 'O Bully | 3.5 | Milton Keynes | A golden bitter, very malty, biscuity & toasty with pronounced bittering. |
Covedale | St George's Stout | 4.5 | Shropshire | An old Shropshire recipe using chocolate,brown,crystal & maris otter malts. With hops from Shropshire it is bitter at first taste but with a sweet after taste. |
Cross Bay | Nightfall | 3.8 | Morecambe | A balanced pale & hoppy session ale with a robust body. Following through with reasonable bitterness that boasts a huge citrusy / spicy fruit finish. |
Deverell | Redemption | 4.5 | Essex | Acaramel flavour from the crystal malts & is finished with a well balanced hop flavour from our use of two of the most popular american hops. |
Dow Bridge | Centurion | 4.0 | Leicstershire | Copper-coloured, well rounded best bitter. Good balance of malt & hops in the flavour. |
Elgoods | From Russia with Dove | 3.7 | Cambs | Full bodied copper coloured beer with a malty character. |
Elland | Midnight Rider | 4.4 | Yorkshire | Four malts & two hops giving a very dark ruby red colour with a coffee aroma & malt loaf. Also a dark chocolate flavour with a fruity sweet aftertaste & a lingering bitterness. |
Elland | Northern Sky | 4.2 | Yorkshire | This is the ideal “Suppin’ Bitter” It is a very pale golden bitter with a full citrus flavour & a long hoppy finish. |
Empire | K2 | 4.3 | Yorkshire | Straw gold in colour, fruity citrus flavoured ale. |
Exemoor | Antler | 4.0 | Somerset | Dark amber in colour, it’s a beer that has a lot more bite & character than its 4% abv might suggest. |
Frog Island | Fire-Bellied Toad | 5.0 | Northants | Amber gold brew with an extraordinary long bitter / fruity finish. |
Great Western | Old Higby | 4.8 | Bristol | Brewed using Boadicea hops, this dark full bodied ale is packed full of flavour . |
Growler | Hogwash | 4.2 | Suffolk | A copper coloured beer with a caramel & biscuit taste. |
Haworth Steam Brewing | 1872 ESB | TBC | Yorkshire | A brand new beer from this small micro brewery. |
Hopback | Golden Best | 3.5 | Wiltshire | Golden coloured with a light, clean, moreish & tasty quality. Hoppy aroma & taste leading to a good, dry finish. |
Ilkley | Joshua Jane | 3.7 | Yorkshire | Deceptively Different: a Nut-Brown Ale. |
Ilkley | Mary Jane | 3.5 | Yorkshire | Light, hoppy, award-winning Pale Ale |
Inveralmond | Duncan's IPA | 4.4 | Perth | Pale Golden Ale with fruity spicy aromas leading to an initial malty sweetness & a lasting bitter finish. Perfect for pushing the boat out. |
Kelham Island | Tin Can Avenger | 3.8 | Yorkshire | Blonde lager style ale. Aromatic European hops with Lager & Munich malts creating a gallantly quaffable light beer with a lemon/pine nose & sweet refreshing palate. |
Kirkby Lonsdale | Jubilee Stout | 5.5 | Lancashire | Jubilee is a smooth stout allowing hints of pale malt and liquorice to show through. |
Kirkstall | Black Band Porter | 5.5 | Yorkshire | A full bodied yet beautifully smooth dark porter. Perfectly balanced. |
Kirkstall | Three Swords | 4.5 | Yorkshire | Very pale and spectacularly thirst-quenching. Three different hops give this beer a delightful citrus nose. |
Kirkstall | Dissolution IPA | 5.0 | Yorkshire | Delicious amber ale with a substantial hop kick. |
Kirkstall | Kirkstall Pale Ale | 4.0 | Yorkshire | Wonderfully golden session beer. Fresh malt and hop aroma lead to a satisfyingly bitter finish. |
Marston Moor | Trip of Stoats | 4.4 | Yorkshire | Traditional Bitter, with crystal malt giving colour & flavour, & Fuggle hops give grassy & earthy notes. |
Mauldons | Peggottys Porter | 4.1 | Suffolk | A traditional dark porter brewed with roasted rye malt & choicest Fuggle hops to give a full rich biscuity flavour. |
Moles | Moleo & Julliet | 4.4 | Wiltshire | Copper Coloured Ale |
New Plassey | Dusky Maiden Stout | 4.4 | Wales | Complex palate brewed with three malts & roasted barley. |
North Riding | Peasholm Pale | 4.3 | Scarborough | Uses a blend of lager, munich & wheat malts & generous quantities of american citra hops. Delivers a fruity initial taste & a lasting citrus bitterness. |
North Riding | Are there any women here | 4.5 | Scarborough | Stout, brewed specially for the north of England beard club gathering in Scarborough. |
Oakleaf | Piston Porter | 4.6 | Hants | A dry, rich Porter. With initial chocolate & toffee flavours, this finishes with a liquorice & dry roast taste, leaving a lingering bitterness. |
Old Bear | Black Maria | 4.2 | Yorkshire | A wholesome jet black stout, smooth on the palate, brewed with Yorkshire malt & roasted barley & blended with two English hops, producing a strong roast malt flavour with a fruity finish. |
Old Bear | Yorkshire Ale | 4.2 | Yorkshire | A classic Yorkshire bitter, copper in colour & packed with malty flavour & body with a bittersweet, nutty aftertaste. |
Old Mill | Liquid Gold | 3.7 | Yorkshire | A golden coloured ale with wonderful citrus hops & a hint of something warm. |
Peerless | Storr Larger | 4.8 | Wirral | Pale & hoppy cask pilsner. Though Continental in style, Storr gains its fresh citrus hop finish & pleasant malt backbone solely from the use of UK-grown lager malt & Sovereign hedgerow hops. |
Purple Moose | Madog's Ale | 3.7 | Wales | "Cwrw Madog" - A refreshing session beer with a reddish hue & a bitter finish. |
Ridgeside | Black Night | 5.0 | Yorkshire | Rolled oats, roasted to perfection, along with chocolate malt, roasted barley, & crystal malt help to give this strong dark beer a complex malt character with a smooth mouthfeel. |
Ridgeside | Jail Break | 3.8 | Yorkshire | An easy drinking pale session beer packed with loads of Chinook & Nelson Sauvin hop flavour. |
Robinsons | 1892 | 3.3 | Stockport | An excellent easy drinking nut brown Cheshire ale with a dry roasted nutty malt palate & a delicate Golding dry hop aroma. Finishing with a thirst quenching balance of malt & hops. |
Rudgate | ISA (St&still) | 3.6 | Yorkshire | Light golden colour, easy drinking with balanced bitterness & fruit. |
Salopian | Hop Twister | 4.5 | Shropshire | A rich gold coloured ale, soft male overtones & citrus flavours. Strong focus on taut, lemony, grapefruit on the finish, balanced by a dry bitterness. |
Saltaire | Raspberry Blonde | 4.0 | Yorkshire | A refreshing blonde ale infused with raspberry flavours. |
Saltaire | Blackberry Cascade | 4.8 | Yorkshire | American style pale ale infused with a hint of Blackberries. |
Skinners | Heligan Honey | 4.0 | Cornwall | A light refreshing bitter, pale amber in colour with distinct hoppy overtones. The subtle addition of real Cornish honey will give your palate a buzzz! |
St Georges | Keep Calm & Carry On | 4.4 | Worcestershire | A combination of local hops make this beer smooth to start but with a long lasting bitterness to finish light amber in colour. |
Stewarts | Edinburgh No.3 | 4.3 | Edinburgh | A full bodied, smooth, cask conditioned ale, with an intense colour, rich malty taste & clean finish. |
Strathaven | Old Mortality 80/- | 4.2 | Lanarkshire | A blend of five different types of malt gives this chestnut coloured ale a rich dried fruit flavour which is beautifully offset by spicy American hops. |
Three Castles | Love Beer | 4.0 | Wiltshire | A light coloured session ale with a smooth taste & a soft fruity aroma. Easy drinking. |
Tirril | Acadamy Ale | 4.2 | Cumbria | A dark, full bodied rich malty ale. |
Titanic | Compass | 4.1 | Burslem on Trent | The ships compass has long been an essential item for any voyage. Light in colour but not in depth this intense combination of maris otter malt & the worlds finest hops leads the palate in every direction, sweet & bitter, warming yet refreshing. |
Village Brewer | Old Raby Ale | 4.8 | Yorkshire | A full bodied smooth dark ale with a sweet caramel aftertaste. |
Wharfebank | Celtic Red | 4.0 | Yorkshire | Irish Style Red Beer. |
Wharfebank | Try This | 3.7 | Yorkshire | Traditional Bitter. |
Wharfebank | Verbeia Pale Ale | 3.6 | Yorkshire | A highly drinkable session, pale golden ale, hopped with 3 distinctive varieties, giving a citrus, fruity experience. Fantastically light & refreshing. |
Wolf | Battle of Britain | 3.9 | Norfolk | A copper coloured fruity session beer with bite. Golding & challenger hops combine with locally grown malt to make this a glorious full-bodied brew. - A donation is made to the Royal Airforces wings appeal for every cask sold. |
There were 20 ciders to sample; the full list is below. The range of ciders and perries reflected those which have been most popular in the past, and in response to Festival goers' requests we brought Ampleforth Abbey Cider to the festival.
Producer |
Cider Name |
ABV |
Location |
Ampleforth Abbey | Ampleforth Abbey Cider | 6.5 | Yorkshire |
Ben Crossman's | Sweet Blended Cider | 6.0 | Somerset |
BroadOak | Bristol Port Cider | 6 | Somerset |
BroadOak | KB Kingston Black Cider | 7.5 | Somerset |
BroadOak | Moonshine Cider | 7.5 | Somerset |
Glastonbury | Scruffy's Bite Apples and Pears | 6.5 | Somerset |
Glastonbury | Soap Dodger Cider | 4.8 | Somerset |
Gwynt y Ddraig | Happy Daze Cider | 4.5 | Pontypridd |
Gwynt y Ddraig | Haymaker Cider | 6.5 | Pontypridd |
Hecks | Port Wine of Glastonbury SV Cider | 6.5 | Somerset |
Hecks | Blakeney Red SV Perry | 7.5 | Herefordshire |
Moles | Black Rat Premium Cider | 6.0 | Wiltshire |
Mr Whitehead's | Cirrus Minor Cider | 5.0 | Hampshire |
Mr Whitehead's | Heart of Hampshire Cider | 6.0 | Hampshire |
Mr Whitehead's | Tofee Apple Cider | 4.0 | Hampshire |
Newtons Court | Winnals Longdon SV Perry | 5.3 | Herefordshire |
Premium Drinks | Cherry Perry | 7.3 | Yorkshire |
Premium Drinks | Passionfruit Perry | 7.3 | Yorkshire |
Premium Drinks | Strawberry Cider | 7.3 | Yorkshire |
Thistly Cross | Ginger Cider | 4.0 | East Lothian |